Edo (Tokyo)

CitiesX

19 Jan 201803:07

Summary

TLDRIn this CitiesX episode, Ed Glaeser interviews historian Andrew Gordon to explore the urban transformation of Japan. Gordon explains how Tokyo, once a small fishing village called Edo, became a significant city in the 17th century under the Tokugawa shoguns. The growth was driven by the relocation of samurai warriors and the development of services for them. This pattern was seen in other castle towns across Japan, leading to a mini-state system with Edo at its peak. The discussion highlights the importance of state-supported transportation networks in economic development, with the historical road systems still influencing modern infrastructure.

Takeaways

🏙️ Tokyo, formerly known as Edo, transformed from a small fishing village into a significant urban center starting in the 17th century with the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate.
🎖️ The early growth of Edo was driven by the relocation of thousands of samurai warriors, who later transitioned from warriors to consumers requiring various services.
🛣️ The development of Edo and other cities during the Tokugawa period was facilitated by the consolidation of castle towns, serving as hubs for economic and cultural activities.
💼 Merchants and artisans were attracted to these castle towns initially to serve the samurai class, but they eventually developed their own distinct culture and economy.
🛤️ The growth of cities was supported by the maintenance and development of road systems, which were crucial for the movement of people and economic development.
🚂 There was a form of state support for transportation networks long before the construction of rail lines in the 1910s, which laid the groundwork for modern transportation infrastructure.
🔗 The historical road systems have a direct impact on the current layout of automobile and train networks, illustrating the concept of path dependency in economic development.
🌐 The discussion highlights the importance of state building and centralized governance in the growth of cities, even if it was through a series of 'mini states' during the Tokugawa period.
🏛️ The consolidation of power under the Tokugawa shoguns led to the strategic choice of Edo as the capital, which was near the shogun's power base and beneficial for military strategy.
🌟 The interview features Andrew Gordon, a historian at Harvard, who offers insights into the historical development of Japan's cities through his course, 'Visualizing Japan'.
🗺️ The script provides a historical perspective on how cities in Japan, particularly Tokyo, evolved from small settlements into thriving urban centers through strategic planning and economic development.

Q & A

Who is Ed Glaeser and what is the topic of discussion in the CitiesX video?
-Ed Glaeser is the host of the CitiesX video, and the topic of discussion is the amazing cities of Japan.
What is Andrew Gordon's role in the CitiesX video and what is his HarvardX course called?
-Andrew Gordon is a historian at Harvard and a guest in the CitiesX video. His HarvardX course is called 'Visualizing Japan'.
When did Tokyo, formerly known as Edo, become an urban powerhouse according to the discussion?
-Tokyo, formerly Edo, became an urban powerhouse at the start of the 17th century with the consolidation of power under the Tokugawa shoguns.
What was Edo's status before becoming the capital under the first Tokugawa shogun?
-Edo was a small fishing village with a small population and a much smaller physical land area than it has today.
Why did the first Tokugawa shogun decide to locate his capital in Edo?
-The first Tokugawa shogun chose Edo for its strategic location near his power base on the eastern side of Japan, which served him well in military strategy.
What was the initial driving force behind the growth of Edo?
-The initial growth of Edo was driven by the influx of thousands of samurai warriors who were brought in to live there.
How did the samurai warriors contribute to the city's development after wars ended?
-After wars ended, the samurai warriors gradually ceased to be warriors and needed various services, which led to the growth of other professions like merchants and artisans.
What was the pattern for the growth of other small towns into cities during the Tokugawa period?
-The growth pattern involved the consolidation of castle towns, one per domain, all over Japan, each serving as a hub and contributing to the development of a series of mini states.
What role did merchants and artisans play in the development of Edo and other cities during the Tokugawa period?
-Merchants and artisans initially congregated to provide services to the samurai who had money to spend, and later developed their own culture and economy.
How did the road systems contribute to economic development during the Tokugawa period?
-The road systems facilitated the movement of people in and out of cities, which in turn provoked economic development along these transport routes.
What is the concept of 'path dependency' as discussed in relation to the development of Japan's cities?
-Path dependency refers to the literal and metaphorical reliance on established roads and pathways that shaped the growth and economic development of cities.
How do the historical transport routes influence the current transportation infrastructure in Japan?
-The main road systems for automobiles and train tracks today follow the pathways that were originally footpaths during the Tokugawa period.

Outlines

00:00

🏙️ The Transformation of Edo into Tokyo

In this segment, Ed Glaeser and Andrew Gordon discuss the historical transformation of Edo into the modern city of Tokyo. The conversation begins with an introduction to Andrew Gordon, a historian at Harvard, who teaches a course on Visualizing Japan. They delve into the history of Edo, which started as a small fishing village and became a significant urban center after the Tokugawa shogunate established its capital there. The strategic location of Edo near the shogun's power base facilitated its growth, as thousands of samurai were relocated to the area. The samurai, who eventually stopped being warriors, required various services, leading to the development of a service economy. The growth pattern of Edo was similar to other small towns that evolved into cities during the Tokugawa period, with each domain consolidating around a castle town, serving as a hub for economic and cultural development. The conversation highlights the importance of state building and the role of samurai, merchants, and artisans in shaping the city's early growth.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Edo

Edo, now known as Tokyo, was a small fishing village that became the capital of Japan under the first Tokugawa shogun. This transformation is central to the video's theme of urban development. Edo's growth was initially driven by the relocation of thousands of samurai warriors, which illustrates the video's focus on how political decisions can shape city landscapes.

💡Tokugawa shoguns

The Tokugawa shoguns were the military dictators who ruled Japan during the Edo period, and their consolidation of power marked the beginning of Tokyo's urbanization. Their decision to establish Edo as the capital is a key example in the video of how political power can influence the growth and development of a city.

💡Samurai warriors

Samurai warriors were the military nobility of medieval and early-modern Japan. In the context of the video, they were brought to live in Edo, contributing to its early growth. Their transition from warriors to consumers of services is an example of how societal changes can drive urban economic development.

💡Castle towns

Castle towns were urban centers that developed around a castle in feudal Japan. The video discusses how these towns, consolidated one per domain during the Tokugawa period, served as hubs for economic and cultural development, similar to the growth pattern of Edo.

💡State building

State building refers to the process of developing a centralized and organized government structure. In the video, the growth of Edo and other castle towns is attributed to a form of state building, albeit through a decentralized system of mini-states under the Tokugawa shogunate.

💡Merchants and artisans

Merchants and artisans were essential to the urban economy, as they provided services and goods to the samurai class. The video highlights their role in the development of Edo's economy, illustrating the symbiotic relationship between different social classes in urban growth.

💡Road systems

Road systems are critical infrastructure for transportation and economic development. The video mentions the maintenance and development of road systems during the Tokugawa period, which facilitated the movement of people and goods, contributing to economic growth along these routes.

💡Path dependency

Path dependency is a concept in economics and history that suggests that the future development of a process is influenced by past events. In the video, the growth of Japan's economy is described as being literally dependent on the existing road systems, which later became modern transportation routes.

💡Economic development

Economic development refers to the process of improving a region's economic well-being through increased production and distribution of goods and services. The video discusses how the movement of people into and out of cities during the Tokugawa period led to economic development along transport routes.

💡Transportation networks

Transportation networks are systems of interconnected infrastructure that enable the movement of people and goods. The video highlights the importance of state-supported transportation networks in Japan's economic growth, predating the construction of rail lines in the 1910s.

💡Urban powerhouse

An urban powerhouse refers to a city that has significant economic, political, or cultural influence. The video uses this term to describe Tokyo's transformation from a small fishing village to a major urban center, emphasizing the city's role in Japan's development.

Highlights

Introduction of Ed Glaeser and Andrew Gordon discussing the development of Japanese cities.

Emphasis on Andrew Gordon's HarvardX course, Visualizing Japan.

Tokyo's transformation from a small fishing village to an urban powerhouse in the 17th century.

The strategic location of Edo (Tokyo) near the Tokugawa shogun's power base.

Importance of samurai warriors in the early growth of Edo.

Edo's expansion through the influx of samurai and the development of services.

Pattern of small towns growing into cities during the Tokugawa period.

The role of castle towns as economic and cultural hubs.

Contribution of merchants and artisans to the urban economy.

Development of road systems as a precursor to modern transportation networks.

Economic development along transport routes due to movement of people.

State support for transportation networks predating rail lines in the 1910s.

The concept of path dependency in economic growth.

Modern road systems and train tracks following historical pathways.

Cultural and economic development of cities beyond state building.

The historical significance of Edo's growth in shaping modern Tokyo.